Report finds Huge Post-9/11 Gap Between Retoric and Realty

U.S. First Responders Underfunded by $100 Billion by 2008. The glowing rhetoric from Republicans and Democrats alike promising first responders the funds needed to keep American communities and their residents safe after the tragedy of 9/11 has now faded into a bitter reality in which police, fire and EMT needs will be shortchanged by about $100 billion through 2008, according to a new report from the nonprofit and nonpartisan First Response Coalition (FRC), which has 40,000 police, fire, EMT and other supporters nationwide. Entitled “America’s First Responders and the Federal Budget: A Study of Rhetoric Versus Reality,” the new FRC report concludes “… first responders will be underfunded by $100.2 billion by 2008. This estimate is based only on budget figures for the Department of Homeland Security and does not take into account any cuts to first responder funds that reside in other federal departments. Full Story

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